Friendships Begin with Thanks
by VerelLupin
Summary: Mai has never been thanked in her life. Sokka has never really spoken to Mai. Friendships can begin with the strangest conversations... Makka friendship.


**This idea has been in my mind forever. Plus I figured it might get me back into the Avatar Fiction. **

**Enjoy...**

**The song is called Down We Fall by Drake Bell**

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><p><strong>You were so clever<strong>

"I'm sorry I didn't know anybody was out here," she apologized slowly backing up the way she came.

"Don't leave." He stuck his hand out in a pleading gesture, "stay, for a second. I kinda been wanting to talk to you and now is a good a time as any, if you don't mind."

"Ok." She said approaching him cautiously, "so talk."

In the few months she had known him they had only crossed paths when necessary. She had learned that he was not talkative for the sake of it. When he spoke it was for a reason. He'd never spoken to her directly as he always had Uncle or Zuko to speak to about Fire Nation issues and she had never reached out to him.

Mai had always had the feeling that she made him uncomfortable, though she made a lot of people uncomfortable and was used to it. But this behavior was so out of character to his usual attitude towards her that she couldn't help but want to hear him out.

She approached the Water Tribe warrior carefully and slipped a dagger into her hand out of habit.

**You kept it together today by the way **

"So how have you been?" He asked clearly nervous now that he had her full attention.

"Fine, I guess and you?" It seemed to so absurd to stand out here freezing and making awkward small talk but she wasn't going leave until he spoke his piece. She knew enough about him to know that something had to really be bothering him for him to seek her out.

"I'm sorry I painted you like a man." He said and snuck a glance in her direction. She looked at him but made no move or comment to show that she had heard his apology.

"It wasn't half bad actually. I did like your rendition of Zuko. Contrary to what he believes, he does resemble a borkypine when he first wakes up."

**I'll no longer ignore you. I wanted to show you again I'm your friend. **

Sokka stared at her completely serious expression couldn't keep from cracking a smile anyway. She was the first person to have ever complimented his work and that oddly was enough to relax him and loosen his tongue. "Mai, I wanted to thank you."

"It's was just a drawing, there's no need to thank me."

"Not for the drawing."

She remained silent and he turned his gaze to the moon. Mai looked at it as well as she waited patiently for him to continue. "When you stopped them from cutting the line you didn't just save Zuko."

She turned her head and found herself looking directly into serious blue eyes. "You saved me too. In fact you saved my father. He was the only reason we were in that prison to begin with. If you had not stopped Azula, we would have all been burned alive in that lake."

"I never knew. You're-"

"I never thanked you so I thought now that the war was over, it be a good time to do it." He stepped closer to her, "thank you for saving my life and my father's, even though you didn't know it. My father and I are all that Katara has left and if you had not done that, she would have been left all alone. I can never repay that but I'll try."

She faltered at this personal insight into him but still managed to give him a firm, "you're very welcome Sokka."

**Sometimes we just pretend**

He stepped back towards the railing more to give them time to recover than to give her actual space. "Since Katara, Aang and I are probably going to see more of you and Zuko in the coming months I just wanted you to know that I consider you a friend independent of him. You're actually pretty neat with all those fighting knives."

**And all I can say is you saved me**

"Same here, I mean independent of Zuko. I consider you a friend."

**Changed the things that have made me**

For the first time in her life, Mai felt the need to confide in someone. "I should thank you as well for being there for Zuko. He's always found it difficult to make friends." Mai looked away uncomfortably. "Same as me and you're friendship means a lot to him and me."

For a split second her words seem to hang between them connecting them briefly and for that moment they each saw what would have happened if she had not saved him and if he had not saved Zuko.

**Entertaining, thoughts are raining**

"Mai," Zuko interrupted their introspective moment when he stepped out on the porch and approached her. He had not spotted Sokka in the darkness and immediately began talking to her, "here you are. I've been looking all over for you. Everybody is getting ready to go to bed. I needed to talk to you about tomorrow's coronation. Do you think…"

"Um…hey Zuko."

"Oh, hey Sokka. I didn't see you there." Zuko looked between the two of them and confusion spread over his face. "Did I interrupt something?

**Down we fall**

Mai looked to Sokka as if asking permission to divulge what had been a strange but private conversation. "What are you guys doing out here? It's freezing."

**It's all ok, when I say you and I**

Zuko was still waiting for an answer and the silent communication going on between his restored love and new friend was disconcerting him. "Did I miss something?" Zuko asked.

**Take your time; I can't wait to see you fly **

Sokka barely nodded and Mai responded, "Sokka and I were just talking and we decided to be friends." Mai responded.

"Friends?" Zuko repeated stupidly.

**You don't have to wander, I finally discovered tonight**

"Yes, Zuko." Sokka patted the confused boy on the back. "The very best of friends. The kind that watch each other's backs and tell each other the absolute truth."

**Where we're at. This is just the beginning it's all that I'm trying to say if I may**

"That should be interesting." Zuko answered completely uncomfortable with the combination of smirking and grinning that Sokka and Mai were both giving him. "Well good night then. Mai...I…ok. Um…tomorrow. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Night Sokka."

**You're never in my way**

"He took that well," Sokka said as they looked at each other and burst into laughter. Zuko visibly stiffened but continued on his way muttering something about the tea making them crazy and how he was gonna check the next batch personally.

**And all I can say is you saved me**

"He's tired now but I guarantee you that by breakfast everybody will have heard about this." Mai said wisely.

**Change all the things that have made me**

"I'm ready for that. How about you?"

**Entertaining thoughts are raining **

"I'm very glad you were at the prison." Mai replied from the doorway of the balcony not bothering to answer his question.

Sokka bowed, "so am I."

She departed and bid him a goodnight. He said the same and resumed the talk he'd been having with Yue before Mai had arrived. "You were right. Thanks for the idea." Sokka sighed and blew her a kiss goodnight.

**Down we fall. **

Yue, the moon spirit looked down at her first love and silently thanked the dry and shy girl that had saved his life on that long ago day. "Goodnight and thank you Mai…for saving him."


End file.
